Hat brim flanging machine



*-\1a.8,41944. I H. H. KAUFMAN mL 2,355,380

HAT BRM FLANGING MACHINE Filed Nov. 28, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A T70QN/gy Aug.8,1944.` H. H. KAUFMAN ETA.. 2,355,380

HAT BRIM FLANGING MACHINE 4 .Filed Nov. 28, 1941 v 2 sheets-sheet 2 'h lv @40 .Qv

A TTU/QNEY IN VEN 5 Patented Aug. 8, 1944 2,355,330 HAT BEIM FLANGINGMACHINE Henri I-I. Kaufman, New York, and Rudolph G.

Segschneider, Yonkers, N. Y. v

Application November 28, 1941, Serial Nc. 420,786 14 Claims. *('CL223-14) This invention relates to hat brim flanging machines. It isparticularly directed to a machine for flanging or shaping the brim of afelt hat from flat to curved shape, or for automatically molding thebrim to a convex brim block.

An object of this invention is to provide in a flanging machine of thecharacter described, having flanging means which act like the fingers ofa human hand to press the brim of the hat against the brim block as thebrim block rotates about the axis.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a machine of thecharacter described, which may be heated either electrically or by gasburners, and in which the electric heating means are readily removable,should it be desired to heat the anging lingers by the gas heater.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a strong, durable andcompact machine of the character described, which shall be relativelyinexpensive to manufacture, easy to manipulate, and yet practical andefficient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

` The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will beexemplied in the construction hereinafter described, and of which thescope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of the variouspossible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a machine embodying the invention,with parts broken away and in cross-section, and showing the angingapparatus in retracted position in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig.2;

, Fig- 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-,|I` of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the brim block;

and Y Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the brim block carrier.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, Ill

designates a hat brim flanging machine embodyi ing the invention. Thesame comprises a stand or support having legs I2 and a top wall I3. Thetop Wall I3 is formed with an opening I4,

in which there projects a bearing I5 xedl to the 55 table top..Rotatably mounted in the bearing I4 is a vertical shaft I6.

Means` is provided to rotate the vertical shaft I6. To this end, thereis fixed adjacent the lower end of the shaft, a worm wheel I'I. orsupport is furthermore provided with a thrust bearing I8 to support thelower end of the shaft. Rotatably mounted in a pair of horizontallyaligned bearings I9 on the support, is a transverse, horizontal shaft 20carrying a worm 2| meshing with the Worm wheel I'I. On shaft 20 is apulley 22. Supported on the bottom of the stand is an electric motor 25connected by belt 26 to pulley 22.

It will now be understood that when the motor is operating, shaft I6will be rotated about its axis through belt 26, and pulley 22, shaft 20and worm wheel I1.

The upper end of shaft I6 projects above bearing I 5. Mounted on theupper end of said shaft I6, is a carrier 30 for a hat brim block 3|. Thecarrier 30 comprises a substantially elliptical bottom plate 32connected to rotate with the shaft I6 in any suitable manner.

Mounted on the bottom wall 32 are four angularly spaced, upstandingbrackets 33, to the upper ends of which is attached an elliptical ring34, Fixed to the ring 34, are four upstanding pins 35. The brim block 3|is likewise substantially elliptical in shape, and has a flatundersurface 31 adapted to rest on top of the ring 34. The brim block 3|furthermore has an elliptical inner surface 38 and a convex outer andupper surface 39, of the shape it is desired to give the brim 4l) of hatH.

On the underside of the block 3| are a plurality of vertical sockets 46,in which are fixed bushings or sleeves 41, adapted to receive the pins35 on ring 34. The block may thus be mounted on ring 34 with the pins 35received in the sleeves or bushings 41. When the motor operates, thebrim block will rotate. The hat H may be mounted on the brim block ininverted fashion, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings with the crown ofthe hat projecting downwardly through the central opening in the brimblock, and with the brim 40 of the hat contacting the convex surface 33ofthe brim block.

Preparatory to anging or shaping the brim of thehat, a piece of cloth 50is placed over the brim of the hat, the cloth being clamped to the brimblock by an annular coil spring 5|. It will now be understood that thebrim block rotates The stand ing through the slots 6I the heads of saidscrews contacting they upperjsurface of the base to firmly clamp thebase to the table top I3. It will now be understood that the base -60may be adjusted ,v

toward or away from the shaft I6, by loosening screws 62, for thepurpose hereinafter` appearing.

Base 60 is provided with a pair of spaced up standing, apertured ears60a carrying -a transverse horizontal pivot pin 64. Pivotallym'ounted onpivot pin 64 is an arm 65 having ears .65a at* *shape of the brim block.

It will be noted that the fingers act like the the lower end thereofreceiving the pivot pin 60. y

The ears 65a extend at right angles to the arm A1; the upper end@farines is ai Usnapedportion 66 disposed at an angle .of about 120degrees to arm 65. `The U-shaped portion 66 comprises parallel arms 61having ears 68 extending therefrom at right angles thereto. The ears 68Yare apertured and support atransverse shaft 69. Fixed to one of the arms61, and extending to one side thereof, is a horizontal handle 'I0 whichmay be grasped by its pivot 64.

Mounted Von the transverseshaft 69, and `suspended therefrom, betweenthe'arms,6l, are a plurality of similar `fingers II each comprisingthree knuckles 12,113 and 14,. The 'ngers'll are parallel to each otherandgin side by side relation,

and each is movable entirely independentlyof the others. Knuckles 'I2are provided with through openings 15, through which they shaft n'69passes.

The knuckles `'I2 v are f ormed with longitudinal through openings 7.5disposed atright angles to the through openings 1,5, for the purposehere-V inafter 'appearingl A .Said4 knuckles 12 arey furthermore Iformedwith curvedfront edges fI'Ilsub'- stantially conforming to the shape orcurvature of the top ofthe brimblock," adjacent the inner ysurface 36thereof-. The knuckles 1 2 are furthera hand tol swing arm 65 about moreformed with .downwardly extending flanges 80 on one'side thereof vrandvof reduced width, and

eachformed with. a through opening 8I. .The

body of the knuckles.

flanges 80 aresubstantially halfthel width ofthe'A The knuckles 'I3 areformed" with upwardly ex'- I tending flanges 83 complementary totheflanges 80 and likewise formed with through Vopenings v8l!4 1 adaptedto register with the through openings SI to receivepivot pins or rivets88; The flanges 83 of the knuckles 'I3 are likewise substantially halfthe width of the bodyfof said knuckles. Knuckles 13 have frontcurvededges'll which `conform substantially to the' curvature of Yafportion of the brim block, such portionfbeing the portion'be- 1tweenthe top substantially' horizontal portion of the brim block and thesubstantially vertical Vlower portion of the brim block. AThe knuckles'I3 also haveV downwardly extending flanges SI ofreduced v'width and inalignmentY with the upwardly extending flanges 83 thereof, and likewiseformed with through openings 92. C

The bottom knuckles 'I4 have upwardly extend'- ing flanges 95complementary to the flanges 0I, and formed with througlfiopenings-4 96to receive pivotI pins .CVI which serve .to pivotallyv 'connect knuckles'I3 to knuckles 'IIL ,'Flanges 95 are likewise substantially half thewidth of the knuckles 14.-' A 1.1? .f

ving the heaters out' ofthe openings 76.

.I fingers of the human hand., all the ngers acting independently, andthe knuckles or joints of each nger moving relatively, one to the other.The

fingers may ybemade of copper or other metal having a relatively highcapacity. The surfaces block may be adjusted by properly adjusting base60 relative to the stand II. Although the brim block is elliptical, it,may rotate about its axis, and the ngers will nevertheless pressagainst the brim to properly flange and shape the same.

Means is provided'to heat the ngers electrically.` To this end, anelectric heater |00 is inserted into each'of'the openings I6y andretained therein by a set 'screw IOI. Attached to the heaters I0!) isthe wiring ,|02 which may be received in a bracket |03 mounted on theU-shaped portion 06 of arm 65.' The bracket |03 may be provided with apair of loops I03a to receive the wiring. The heaters I 0 0 may bereadily removed by merely loosening 'the'set screws IOI and pull- Whenthe fingers are heated electrically, the heat will travel `by conductionfrom theknuckles 'I2 to the knuckles 'i3 and then to the knuckles 14,

Means is.` provided to heat the fingers by gas heat.. To this end, thereis xed `to'arm 65 a bracket IIO formed 4with` a through opening, throughwhich there passes a pipe III. At one end of pipe II I thereisattached apipe II3 running alongside of the arm V65.1 At the upper end 3 of thepipe IIS is an elbow II5 disposed just be- 1 I I3 and II6 remain xedtothe arme65 and move therewith. s y

vMeans is provided to increase the pressure of the fingers on the brimof the hat. lTo this end, there is fixed to Vsubstantially the middle of4arm 65 a loop or ring |25, on which any suitable weight W mayj be hungto additionally press the fingers against the brim during the hangingoperation.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which theseveral objects of this in ven'tion are achieved, varid'which is welladapted to meet the conditions of practical use.-

As various possible embodiments 'might be made Y of the above invention,and 'as various changesV might `bemadev in V'the embodiment above setforth, it is to be understood that all matterhere-V in set forth orshown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted asillustrativeand not` in a limiting sense.

Having thus described our invention, weclaim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

l. In a flanging machine a brim block, means` to rotate the block aboutits axis, and meansy to press the brim of a hat, against the brim block,said last means comprising a movable member, a shaft on said member, anda plurality of fingers each pivotally suspended at one end thereof,only,

from said shaft, the opposite end of each finger hangingfreely, each ofsaid fingers comprising a plurality of interpivoted knuckles, saidfingers being adapted to be moved against the brim block. i

2. In a flanging machine, a brim block, means to rotate the block aboutits axis, and means to press the brim of a hat against the brim block,said last means comprising a movable member, a shaft on said member, aplurality of fingers each pivotally suspended at one end thereof, only,from said shaft, the opposite end of each finger hanging freely, each ofsaid fingers comprising a plurality of interpivoted knuckles, saidfingers being adapted to be moved against the brim block, and means toheat said fingers.

3. In a flanging machine, a brim block, means to rotate the block aboutits axis, and means to press the brim of a hat against the brim block,said last means comprising a movable member, a shaft on said member, aplurality of fingers each pivotally suspended at one end thereof, only,from said shaft, the opposite end of each finger hanging freely, each ofsaid fingers comprising a plurality of interpivoted knuckles, saidfingers being adapted to be moved against the brim block, means to heatsaid fingers, and a weighted member on said movable means to press saidfingers against the brim block.

4. In a brim flanging machine, a shaft, a finger suspended at only oneend thereof from the shaft and the opposite end of said finger hangingfreely, said finger comprising a knuckle pivoted on said shaft, a secondknuckle pivoted to the first knuckle, and a third knuckle pivoted to thesecond knuckle and being otherwise freely suspended.

5. In combination with a brim block, and means to rotate the same, brimflanging means comprising a member, a plurality of fingers eachsuspended at only one end thereof from the shaft and the opposite end ofthe finger hanging freely by gravity, each of the fingers comprisinginterpivoted knuckles, and means to move said member to bring saidfingers against the brim block.

6. In a brim anging machine, a base, an arm pivoted thereto, atransverse shaft carried by said arm, and a plurality of fingers freelypivotally suspended on said shaft and disposed in parallel relation,each of said lingers comprising a plurality of interpivoted knuckles,andbeing supported at one end only and otherwise freely hanging fromsaid shaft.

'7. In a brim flanging machine, a base, an arm pivoted thereto, atransverse shaft carried by said arm, a plurality of fingers freelypivotally suspended on said shaft and disposed in parallel relation,each of said fingers comprising a plurality of interpivoted knuckles,and being supported at one end only and otherwise freely hanging fromsaid shaft, and a handle on the upper end of said arm to swing said armrelative to its pivotal connection to said base.

8. In` afbrim fianging machine, a base, an arm Vpivoted thereto, aAtransverse `shaft carried by said arm, a plurality of fingers freelypivotally suspended on said shaft and disposed in parallel relation,eachof said fingers comprising a plurality of interpivoted knuckles, andbeing supported at one end only and otherwise freely-v hanging from saidshaft by gravity, a handle on the upper end of said arm to swing saidarm relative toits pivotal connection to said base, a knuckle oneachfinger being formed with an opening, and electric heaters-within saidopenings. Y 1

9. A machineffor anging the brim of` a hat, comprising a stand, avertical shaft rotatably mounted thereon, a carrier at the upper end ofthe shaft connected .thereto for rotation therewith, a brim blockmounted on said carrier, the axis' of said shaft being co-axial with theaxis of the brim block, an arm pivoted to said stand about an axisperpendicular to said shaft, a plurality of fingers freely pivotallysuspended from said arm, said fingers comprising interpivoted membersadapted to press against the brim block upon pivotally moving the armtoward said block, and said ngers being supported only at one end andotherwise hanging freely by gravity.

10. A machine for fianging the brim of ahat, comprising a stand, avertical shaft rotatably mounted thereon, a carrier at the upper end ofthe shaft connected thereto for rotation therewith, a brim block mountedon said carrier, the axis of said shaft being co-axial with the axis ofthe brim block, an arm pivoted to said stand about an axis perpendicularto said shaft, a plurality of fingers each pivotally suspended at oneend from said arm, said fingers comprising interpivoted members adaptedto press against the brim block upon pivotally moving the arm towardsaid block, said fingers being disposed in parallel, side by siderelation, and being independently movable, and said fingers beingsupported only at one end and otherwise hanging freely by gravity.

11. A machine for flanging the brim of a hat, comprising a stand, avertical shaft rotatably mounted thereon, a carrier at the upper end ofthe shaft connected thereto for rotation therewith, a brim block mountedon said carrier, the axis of said shaft being co-axial with the axis ofthe brim block, an arm pivoted to said stand about an axis perpendicularto said shaft, a plurality of fingers each pivotally suspended at oneend from said arm, said fingers comprising interpivoted members adaptedto press against the brim block upon pivotally movingthe arm toward saidblock, said fingers being disposed in parallel, side by side relation,and being independently movable, one or more of the interpivoted membersin each finger having curved edge portions conforming substantially tothe curvature of portions of the brim block, and said fingers beingsupported only at one end and otherwise hanging freely by gravity.

12. A machine for iianging the brim of a hat, comprising a support, abrim block mounted on the support for rotation about its axis, a memberpivoted to said support aboutan axis perpendicular to the axis of thebrim block, a shaft carried by said member, and disposed parallel to thepivotal axis for said member, and a plurality of fingers each pivotallysuspended at one end from said shaft, each finger comprising a pluralityof interpivoted portions, movable against said brim dioular to the axisof the brim block, a shaftcarriedv by said member, and disposed parallelto the pivotal axis fory saidv member, a plurality oi iingers eaohpivotally suspended at 'oneend from said shaft, each finger comprisinga, plurality oi interpivoted portions, movableagainst said brim block,said iingers being parallel to one another,

and'made of metal, and lmeans to.l heat'said 'i carried by said member,and disposed parallel-to the pivotal axis for said member, a pluralityof fingers each pivotally suspended atene endvfrom said shaft, eachfinger comprising a plurality of interpivoted portions, movable againstsaid brim Iblock, said lingers being parallel to one another,

and made of "metal, and means to heat said fingers, said iingers havingportions conforming inV shape to the shapeof said brim block, said ngersbeing eaoh supported at only onev yend and otherng'ers, said ngers'beingeach supported at only 15 Wise hanging freely by gravity.

one end and otherwise hanging freely by gravity. 14.y maohine forfianging the brim'of ahat,

HENRI I-I. KAUFMAN.

RUDOLPH SEGSCHNEIDER.

